1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the removal of objects stuck to a hard surface, such as, but not limited to, temporary and permanent marking tapes, here after known as (PMT), raised pavement marking reflectors, here after referred to as (RPM), ceramic marking buttons, here by known as (CMB), more particularly, to efficient methods and tools for removing a variety of objects that are adhered or stuck to a hard surface using a variety of mastics.
The marking tapes (PMT) are commonly used on both highways and parking lots. They are used both to divert traffic in a temporary fashion on highways, as well as, to serve as permanent markings. They are designed to withstand a large variety of attacks: weather, traffic, time to mention a few. They are held to the surface by mastic. Each company's product uses a different formula for this mastic, but all have the goal with these markings, which is to make them durable.
There is a need for efficient removal of these tapes (PMT) at various times. Due to new traffic patterns or just simply worn out markings. In view of the permanent nature of these products they do not come off easily. Even the so-called temporary PMT is likely to come apart, rather than let go of the surface. This proves to make it a very time consuming and labor intensive operation. Usually performed by pulling by hand or attaching it to the back of a truck. The difficulty comes when the tape starts to come apart, which is normal. It is not uncommon for it to come up in strips of no more than an inch in width and long, sometimes even less. When the PMT has been run over a lot or is applied in a hot climate this again intensifies its adhesion to the surface. This necessitates taking the remaining PMT off with putty knives and razor blades one little piece at a time. This is a universal problem with removing PMTs.
Water blasting has been tried. This takes the tape off but tends to turn it into even smaller strips and splatters the tape all over the roadway and any nearby objects. When dry it is stuck again to the road surface and everything else. As it is made to reflect light, it is really confusing at night as a whole area may appear to be painted the PMTs color and can and does confuse the motoring public. It also leaves a misleading mark in the form of un-removed mastic.
Another method is grinding. Although this does remove the PMT it also cuts it in to small pieces. This method also does a certain amount of damage to the surface. This damage is unacceptable to the department of transportation for many reasons. One of the main reasons is it leaves a misleading mark on the road surface. All these methods leave a mess on the road way as well as putting workers in harms way for a long period of time. It is very dangerous for the traveling public as they drive through the areas where this work is being done.
Raised Pavement Markers (RPM) are commonly used in the warmer climates. It embodies a 2 inch×4 inch or a 4 inch×4 inch stick on reflector to the road surface. It normally comes in traffic yellow and white. And sometimes blue is used to identify were fire hydrants are. These RPMs are applied to the surface in 3 main ways. One is hot bituminous application. The bituminous is heated to 425 degrees and put down hot on the surface and before it cools off the RPM is stuck in it. Another method is using epoxies. After the epoxy is applied to the surface the RPM is stuck in it. Another is sticky pads, that uses a combination of either a sticky mastic or a heat-able pad.
These are used in a variety of ways: to delineate the centerline, edge line or even a traffic island. They are used in some states as the only pavement marking to divert traffic in a temporary and permanent traffic patterns.
When used in a temporary fashion they have to be removed when traffic is switched to the permanent pattern. This is commonly done by a claw type hammer and some times a chisel. This is very time consuming and dangerous. As often as not you are in the middle of two lanes of traffic bent over swinging a hammer. This method does not get all the mastic off. So it leaves a big black puddle of mastic on the road surface, which can mislead the traveling public. Most states now require this mastic to be removed as well, for this reason.
You can also remove them with a grinder. This works well but tends to shatter the RPM and can fling shards out into traffic as well as possible damage to the road surface. You can use a motor grader blade. The problem here is traffic interference and the fact that it often does a lot of damage to the paved surface. All these methods work in a limited way. They all leave debris on the road surface as well as misleading marks and some of them even damage the road surface.
Ceramic Buttons (CMB) are used in some of the same ways as the RPM. In many western states it is used in place of the centerline markings whether they are the white line or the yellow. They do not have any reflective capabilities so they are usually used in conjunction with RPMs. The CMBs tend to get driven into the surface by traffic so this makes them very hard to remove. They are applied in all the same ways as the RPMs. They are harder to get off the surface. They tend to shatter more readily than RPMs so flying shards are a big danger. Again in all these cases the PMT, RPMs and the CMB removal is done mostly by hand by a walking worker with a hammer and or chisel. Some times they use go-carts or low cars with out doors to get between each marking. All in all very labor intensive and highly dangerous work due to the long exposure time to working in moving traffic.
The present invention thus relates to a road marking removal system and more particularly pertains to scraping road markings such as temporary and permanent marking tapes, raised pavement marking reflectors, ceramic marking buttons and the like from hard surfaces such as highway asphalt, concrete and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of highway maintenance systems of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, highway maintenance systems of known designs and configurations previously devised and utilized for the purpose of removing road tape and markings through conventional methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,109 issued Oct. 16, 1973 to Daviduke relates to a scraping blade for converting a cutting edge on a loading bucket. U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,271 issued Mar. 9, 1976 to George relates to a backhoe attachment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,498 issued Nov. 21, 1995 to Keegan relates to a self-sharpening scraping tool. U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,299 issued Mar. 28, 2000 to Cooper relates to apparatus for removal and collection of roadway markings. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,174,104 issued Jan. 16, 2001 to Fields relates to a highway marking tape removal apparatus.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a road marking removal system that allows scraping road markings such as temporary and permanent marking tapes, raised pavement marking reflectors, ceramic marking buttons and the like from hard surfaces such as highway asphalt, concrete and the like.
In this respect, the road marking removal system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of scraping road markings such as temporary and permanent marking tapes, raised pavement marking reflectors, ceramic marking buttons and the like from hard surfaces such as highway asphalt, concrete and the like.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved road marking removal system which can be used for scraping road markings such as temporary and permanent marking tapes, raised pavement marking reflectors, ceramic marking buttons and the like from hard surfaces such as highway asphalt, concrete and the like. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.